July

July 4  “Living Through Life’s Contortions”  Rev. Alex McGee  The yoga tradition and Unitarian Universalism have common threads and some overlapping history.  We can draw from yogic wisdom while respecting its unique cultural origins.  You don’t have to touch your toes to benefit from this morning’s reflection!

July 11  “God Laughs and Plays” Rev. Kathy Duhon “God Laughs and Plays” is the title of a recent book by an agnostic naturalist, as well as a sermon by a medieval mystic and a poem by a sociologist.  This seems to be an appealing image for many.  Find out if it grabs you as we laugh and play for this lively summer service.

July 18  “Writer’s Group Sunday”  More information to come!

July 25 “Ask the Minister” Rev. Jeanne Pupke This is an interactive sermon. Those at worship submit questions for Rev. Jeanne. Our topics are on religion, theology, belief, unbelief, ethics, values, as you create them.

June

June 6  “Children’s Sunday”  Rev. Jeanne Pupke In thanks our children will offer a music and drama in a service of appreciation for many gifts learning brings. Our teachers will be recognized and we’ll all share a congregational picnic afterward.

June 13  “Love Makes a Bridge” Rev. Jeanne Pupke Real love always moves you forward. Our three graduating seniors Fariss Hodder, Erin MacPherson and Matt Short share reflections as they bridge into adulthood.

June 20th  “The Call Of Service”  Rev. Jeanne Pupke Many of us answer the call to serve, but we do not always take time to think about the meaning of serving. Rev. Jeanne reflects on the many models of service and suggests they are not all created equal.

June 27th “Can We Do Away With Evil?”   As U.U.s we affirm “the goal of a world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.” Do we mean to take such a dream seriously? If so, what about evil?

May

May 2nd  “Beltane: A Celebration of Spring” Earth-Centered Spirituality Group The seventh principle of Unitarian Universalism reminds us to respect the interconnected web of all life of which we are all a part. Those walking earth-centered spiritual paths renew our commitment to this principle every day of our lives, but May Day, or Beltane, is a special time, marking the ancient Celtic festival of fire, fertility, and love. Join us as we mark the quickening of the year, the growth of plants and ourselves as new life fills the world.

May 9th  “Flower Communion Sunday”  Rev. Jeanne Pupke  Our annual celebration of giving and receiving returns with a multigenerational service. Please bring some blooms from a garden to contribute.

May 16th   State of the Congregation and Annual Meeting (One Service Only 10:00 AM)  Rev. Jeanne Pupke  Our service reflects the richness of the church year with a single service followed by the annual meeting.

May 23rd “The Way” Rev. Jeanne Pupke  Members of the Taoist practice group join with Rev. Jeanne to offer a service that considers the way of the Tao in modern living.

May 30th “The Prophetic Church”  Paula Cole Jones Paula Cole Jones, longtime UUA leader joins us to offer a sermon on our congregation’s future. Paula is a long time member of All Souls Church in DC.

April 4, Rev. Jeanne Pupke  “Beginning Anew” It is a necessity in human life to be able to begin anew. Religion, more than any other source explains the importance of new beginnings in theology, ritual and sacrament. We will examine how UUs might understand the teachings of religions on how we can begin again.

April 11, Rev. Jeanne Pupke: “Beatles Theology” (Music Sunday) It is 50 years since the formation of the group we know as the the Beatles, whose popular music was a worldwide phenomena. Though regarded as “pop,” is there something lasting in the music and lyrics of the “fab four,” something worth discovering or rediscovering spiritually?

April 18, Rev. David Hicks MacPherson “Sprituality in Humanism” Whatever the religion or system of belief within each religion, there appears the recognition that people “do not live by bread alone.” This is true for those who do not affirm God, such as Religious Humanists, as it is for those who do.

April 25, Rev. Preston Moore “Is This All There Is?” Do you have a voice in your head that sometimes seems to look at your life and ask, “Is this really all there is?” The first stirrings of spiritual yearning are a sense of something missing—a question that lies waiting, ripening. If you brought that question to fruition, where might it take you?

March

March 7th  ^“Miracles”  Rev. William Sinkford  Unitarian Universalists have long rejected the miracle stories of the New Testament as impossible and unnecessary. Reason has been the hallmark of our faith. Our need for transformation, however, remains.

March 14th  ^“We Knew it All Along” Rev. Jeanne Pupke (Rescheduled from February) When it comes to the need to face up to the challenges of race relations, health care, immigration, environmental destruction, poverty, marriage equality, it turns out, the answers have been near at hand.

March 21st ^“When Standing Counts”  Rev. Jeanne Pupke   Massive Resistance was Virginia’s effort to stop school integration after the Supreme Court’s ruling on Brown vs. the Board of Education. Our Sermon examines the response of congregation during troubled times.

March 28th ^“Spiritual, But Not Religious” Rev. Sherman Logan  A large number of people describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious”. What does that mean? Is it a rejection of organized religion, with its dogma, creeds and rituals, or is it simply one’s desire to have a deeper experience of life without the limitation and baggage of doctrine? Rev. Logan will share his thoughts on religion and spirituality.

February

February 7th  ^“The Arc of the Universe is Long”  Rev. Leslie Takahashi Morris Rev. Morris (a former First UU Intern) recently concluded a multi-year project looking at how we as Unitarian Universalists approached our conversations about race. She will share her thoughts on faith, identity and relationship.

February 14th  ^“Reclaiming Paradise”  Rev. Jeanne Pupke  Before the theology of western Christendom became confrontational and violent, there was a different and peaceful Christianity. Rev. Jeanne will draw from the writings of theologian Rebecca Parker to consider how we lost sight of paradise.

February 21st ^“Plenty”  (Celebration Sunday) Gini Courter, moderator of the UUA is back with us to kick off our Annual Pledge Drive. Come hear our very talented elected lay leader and one of the finest preachers in our movement.